The Journal "Agriculture and Forestry"
Časopis "Poljoprivreda i šumarstvo"
- Since 1955 -
Year 2017, Volume 63 Issue 4 (15.12.2017)
| Year : | 2017 |
| Volume : | 63 |
| Issue : | 4 (15.12.2017) |
| Authors : | Alexandra D. SOLOMOU, Elpiniki SKOUFOGIANNI and Faik KAMPERLLARI |
| Title : | PATTERNS OF HERBACEOUS PLANT SPECIES RICHNESS, COMPOSITION AND SOIL PROPERTIES IN AN ORGANIC CULTIVATION |
| Abstract : | Aromatic plants constitute a major segment of the flora, which provides raw materials for use in the pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and drug industries. Lemon verbena is one of more than 30 species of aromatic shrubs in the genus Aloysia (family Verbenaceae) with high environmental and economic value. More attention is paid in Greece to the Lemon verbena essential oil while their effects on the parameters influencing multiple aspects of ecosystem structure (e.g. biodiversity, soil properties etc) are generally overlooked. Hence, this exploratory study aims to evaluate the effects of Lemon verbena and neighboring abandoned (10 years) ecosystems on the herbaceous plant species richness and composition, and soil properties. Also, the multiple regression method was used to investigate the relationship between herbaceous plant species richness and soil properties. The study was conducted in April-May 2016 and 2017 of central Greece. In total, 24 species of herbaceous plants (16 plant species in Lemon verbena ecosystem and 12 plant species in abandoned ecosystem) were recorded in the study area. The most frequently occurring plant was Avena sterilis (Family: Poaceae) in both types of ecosystems. Moreover, there were significant differences (p<0.05) between Lemon verbena and neighboring abandoned (10 years) ecosystems for any of the soil properties [soil organic matter, pH, CaCO3, P, K and Mg] measured. Furthermore, multiple regression method showed that soil properties had significant effects on herbaceous plant species richness in which soil organic matter, pH, P and K were the most prominent factors influencing species richness in Lemon verbena ecosystem |
| For citation : | Solomou D. A., Skoufogianni E. and Kamperllari F. (2017): Patterns of herbaceous plant species richness, composition and soil properties in an organic cultivation "Lemon verbena" and abandoned agroecosystems of Greece. Agriculture and Forestry, 63 (4): 35-42. DOI:10.17707/AgricultForest.63.4.03 |
| Keywords : | Aromatic Plant, Species Richness, Environment, Sustainability, Greece |
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